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Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Cordwell's on Market Place is an amusement arcade cum café. There is another amusement arcade belonging to Cordwell's in nearby Clarendon Street but this one includes a café. At one time it was very smokey but after smoking inside was banned it was revamped and includes a toilet with disabled access. It seems though that the premises have been sold and the café is soon to close and be replaced by yet another bookies. To the left is £-stretchers in what used to be Woolworth's and is still referred to as "Woollies". To the right is the Albion public house.

Cordwell's Amusement Arcade on Clarendon Street can be seen on Hyde DP Xtra.

Monday, 30 January 2012

I recently showed you the boarded up doorway to the Theatre Royal 2 Cinema on the corner of Henry Street and Onward Street. The old notice-boards and sign had been removed.

I was passing there again last week and saw these builders at work on the building. Some plastering has been done and the window-frames are being fitted with metal shutters and vents. I don't know on whose behalf the work was being undertaken.

The Theatre Royal Onward Trust have been working since 1999 to acquire the building and restore it. Getting there is not easy but the fight is not lost. One day it will re-open.

Friday, 27 January 2012

Hatton Grange is a residential care home on the site of the former Hyde Police Station. It occupies the land bounded by Oldham Street, Croft Street, Henry Street and Onward Street. It is named after local boxer Ricky Hatton.

On the day in question a bright winter sun was shining in the afternoon but storm clouds were gathering in the East.

Tuesday, 24 January 2012

A "Stotts of Oldham" Optare bus on the #344 Backbower circular route is picking up passengers at the heritage bus stop by Hyde Market on Monday afternoon. Stotts took over the route last week following the collapse of previous operator Speedwells.

The same bus on the #342 route (the Backbower circular in the opposite direction) can be seen on Hyde DP Xtra.

Sunday, 22 January 2012

There is a little triangle of land behind the houses on Waverley Road and Laburnum Avenue (out of sight on the right). The third side of the hypotenuse is a footpath leading between the two and skirting the back of houses on a couple of cul-de-sacs.

Friday, 20 January 2012

A view from the South end of Hyde Market looking down Corporation Street.

Immediately on the left is the Midland Bank. Across Market Street on the corner of Corporation Street is the Royal Bank of Scotland. Further down Corporation Street on the opposite side of the road can be glimpsed the domes of the Jamia Mosque. Nearer is the Town Hall from which a flag is flying.

In the foreground on the left is a board showing details of the plans to revamp the Market ground. Behind it lies the Crown Pole erected in 2002 to commemorate the Queen's golden jubilee. The pole is to be re-sited but the plans do not say where. The telephone box is to be retained.

Thursday, 19 January 2012

National Route 62 of the National Cycle Network will link Glasson just south of Lancaster with Selby in Yorkshire via Blackpool, Preston, Southport, Stockport and Doncaster.

The main part of National Route 62 forms the Trans Pennine Trail between Southport and Selby. The route from Southport to Penistone via Liverpool and Stockport is 96 miles, mostly traffic-free.

Although signed as part of the National Cycle Network, the Trans Pennine Trail is a separately managed and funded project. The Western section includes the Liverpool Loop line and the Cheshire Lines path and passes through the Peak District National park.

The Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) is an exciting route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders linking the North and Irish seas, passing through the Pennines, alongside rivers and canals and through some of the most historic towns and cities in the North of England.

The Trail from coast-to-coast between Southport and Hornsea is 215 miles (346 km) long. A north-south route connects Leeds and Chesterfield and a spur to York means there are approximately 350 miles (560 km) of Trans Pennine Trail available to explore.

The Trans Pennine Trail is mapped and signed all the way, mainly traffic free and is surprisingly level considering the dramatic scenery along the way. Easy gradients and surfaced paths make many sections suitable for families, gentle exercise and people using wheelchairs and pushchairs.

You couldn't get down just here on a horse and you'd have to dismount your cycle. Nor is it accessible to a wheelchair user. A sign bans motorcycles but I've seen more than the occasional one on this section.

Wednesday, 18 January 2012

On the left is Mill Hill Green on which stands the Monkey Puzzle Tree which was moved in 2010 to make way for a new Tesco supermarket. The land behind it off Chain Bar Road is being used as a works unit for the construction work.

Tuesday, 17 January 2012

Just East of Knott Fold bridge on the Trans Pennine Trail, horse riders must jump the low double trough and change from the left hand side to the right hand side. On reaching Dowson Road bridge in the distance they must change sides again. Cyclists and walkers need to use the squeeze stile to get past the barrier across the track. This section which doubles as National Cycle Route 62 is along the line of the former Godley Junction to Apethorn railway line.

Saturday, 14 January 2012

The morning after a very stormy night. There are large puddles on the footpath. A tall tree is reflected in the puddle. Several of its smaller branches have been blown down and are lying in the roadway.

Friday, 13 January 2012

I posted a view of the sky over the Hare & Hounds on Werneth Low back in October 2011. For Skywatchers though it is an ever changing view. This is how it looked on Thursday at 10am with birds flying around and the sun just trying to peep out under the clouds.

About twenty minutes later the clouds had mostly gone, the sun shone and the sky turned blue. This is how it looked another three hours later with sheep grazing in the field below the inn.

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

I did Z is for Zeenath back in July 2008. I've no compunction about doing it again. That time I showed a view of the side window on Port Street.

This time I'm showing the front of the shop on Market Street.

Household domestic spares, fancy goods, small DIY and electrical goods. The windows and walls of the shop are stacked with all manner of stuff, yet there's just enough room for a few customers to go in and turn around.

Tuesday, 10 January 2012

On the last Friday before Christmas, a butcher's van is set up between the carousel and the White Lion. The carousel has operated on Hyde Market for over 100 years and will be retained when the market is extensively renovated in 2012.

Monday, 9 January 2012

On the corner of Lumn Road and Townend Street is leather & grindery merchant, D Sharpe & Son, suppliers of aprons, belts, straps &c. It is almost opposite the site of the former James North factory which produced leather products for worldwide distribution.

Friday, 6 January 2012

The view over the Shell garage on Dowson Road. On the right is the tower of St George's church. To the left can be seen houses on Woodend Lane. The trees between hide the deep-sided valley of the Gower Hey Brook.

"astoria bingo is ok its free every monday afternoon and evening, and its half price on tuesday. the money is not up to scratch like the big bingo halls,but its ok for the dear old ladies and the food is great too and it doesnt cost an arm and a leg."

"it may be small but all it needs is a lot more people to get the prices up.the staff and the people that go to astoria bingo are great to get on with you make new friends.and the atmosphere is nice too."

Obviously it was well loved by its clientelle but not very profitable and it was closed down in 2010. The cladding on the wall is coming off and the disused building is clearly deteriorating.

Wednesday, 4 January 2012

The bright yellow on the roofs of the stalls on Hyde Market is very distinctive.

In 2012 an extensive revamp of Hyde Market is to take place. The £1.2m redevelopment will begin in January and will see the creation of a civic space for events and a change in the layout of stalls to improve access. Key elements of the proposed scheme include the use of high quality materials, removal of street clutter, changing the lay-out of the stalls to improve access to Clarendon Square shopping centre, and the creation of a civic space. The work will take place in two phases so that half of the market will remain open and in use whilst work takes place on the other half. The whole work should be completed by September 2012. The trees such as the one seen behind the stalls will be removed and new permanent stalls provided. Whether their roofs will still be so colourful remains to be seen.

Another view of the Market at the end of 2011 can be seen on Hyde DP Xtra.